Re: [APD] Drastic pH Spike in New Planted Tank?

[Raj <ggrk at blr_vsnl.net.in>]

RJ,
         Lower the KH greater the swing in pH. There is some source of
alkalinity that can cope with 5 Bubbles per second !! "Heavily planted" is
what maybe be what you are missing.. considering everything else is normal.
Plants can absorb a lot of CO2 to make the water alkaline.

         In my tanks the pH is the highest at sunset (lights off time). This
would suggest that you have too many plants.. which is also my problem!

         I would suggest that you TEST the situation and reduce the
lighting by blocking the light partially and see if the pH spike is lower..
if it is then you've got too many plants for sure for your current KH.

         You could also try increase the KH by using more tap water
than RO water and see..

         My current thinking is that heavily planted tanks need higher
pH buffering i.e. greater KH. More plants = you need higher KH..
i.e increase the KH as your plants fill up the tank.

         Keep us informed.

Raj

>A friend recently setup a heavily planted 29g tank using an eheim classic
>filter, inline heater and pressurized co2 with an inline pvc reactor like
>many of us have. His lights are 2 AH Supply 55w CFs. he is using Flourite.
>And nothing else.
>
>His RO water is 7.0pH at the source. kH is approx 3. One day after filling
>the tank (or doing a water change), the pH spikes up in the mid 8's.
>Everytime. We have tried eliminating one piece of equipment at a time until
>it was just water, substrate and filter w/no media. The pH still spikes to
>over 8 by evening. In the early morning it is back around 7.5 or so.
>
>At this point, there is no livestock so we are bubbling a crazy 5bps. The
>plants pearl a little and we can see bubbles in the tank, but the pH just
>climbs. Both dropper test kits and probes read the same. The same source RO
>water left in a jar with some Flourite is not experiencing this problem. I
>have an identical setup except I use 20% tap water and my pH is fine at 7
>and kH is about 7. What are we missing here? It has been suggested that he
>raise the kH to equalize this equation.
>
>Thanks,
>RJ

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